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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage dispensing machines with capsule-based systems often have a large footprint, making them difficult to position on narrow shelves or in compact environments, as they typically extend deeply behind the front face, limiting their placement options.
Innovation Solution
A beverage dispensing machine design where the capsule handling device moves laterally, allowing the machine to be placed on a support surface with a short depth, featuring a movable user-receptacle support body that adjusts for different cup sizes and a compact external housing configuration, enabling placement on narrow shelves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the machine components are arranged in a conventional configuration, then the beverage preparation function is ensured, but the machine footprint becomes large and difficult to position on narrow shelves
Solution Approach 1:
The capsule handling device is reoriented to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front face of the housing, rather than extending deeply behind it. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the brewing unit to be positioned closer to the front face, significantly reducing the machine's depth footprint while maintaining all necessary brewing functions
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule handling device incorporates movable components that can translate between different positions (capsule insertion position, brewing position, ejection position). This dynamic arrangement allows the same mechanical components to serve multiple functions within a compact space, reducing the overall footprint compared to static configurations
2Adaptability or versatility
If the machine is designed with compact dimensions for narrow shelf placement, then the positioning flexibility is improved, but the functionality for handling capsules and dispensing beverages may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The movable support body serves multiple functions: it supports user receptacles during beverage dispensing, guides capsules into the brewing unit, and can be repositioned to accommodate different cup sizes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, maintaining full functionality while minimizing the machine's footprint
Solution Approach 2:
The capsule handling device is integrated within the housing structure, with components nested along the perpendicular axis. The brewing unit, water delivery system, and capsule mechanism are arranged in a compact nested configuration that maximizes space utilization while maintaining all necessary brewing and dispensing functions
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~3d
Figure 4~7
AI summary
A machine (1) for dispensing a beverage (84) from a capsule (2) has: an external housing (10, 30, 30', 40, 50, 60) having an external front face (10), two external spaced- apart lateral side faces (30,30') that extend rearwards behind the external front face (10) and that face each other; a beverage outlet (11) located on the external front face (10) and above a front area (20) for placing a user-receptacle (3,4) for collecting beverage (84) from the outlet (11); and a capsule handling device (70) that has a first part (71) and a second part (72) that are relatively movable between a capsule transfer position and a capsule extraction position. At least one part (72) of the first and second parts (71,72) is arranged to translate towards and away from at least one of the two external lateral side faces (30,30') so that the first and second parts (71,72) relatively move between the transfer and the extraction positions.